The present invention relates to a method of producing hydrogen and more particularly to a method of producing hydrogen by a simple process that can be readily employed for practical use, without causing any pollution of the atmosphere and in a high yield with an extremely high purity.
In recent years, hydrogen has attracted attention as a potential fuel. On combustion, hydrogen does not produce substances which are liable to pollute the atmosphere such as, for example, sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides. It is safe unless it is handled carelessly, and it possesses outstanding properties as a fuel.
For production of hydrogen, there have heretofore been developed methods involving operations on a large commercial scale such as, the method resorting to the electrolysis of water, the method relying upon the modification of petroleum gas and coal gas, and the method utilizing the secondary production of hydrogen attendant upon the electrolysis of alkalis.
All these operations inevitably require use of facilities of large dimensions and are apt to produce air pollution substances.
As a further method of producing hydrogen, the reaction between magnesium and water is known. This reaction is illustrated by the following chemical equation: EQU Mg+H.sub.2 O.fwdarw.Mg(OH).sub.2 +H.sub.2
In this reaction, once magnesium hydroxide is formed on the surface of magnesium, the formed magnesium hydroxide prevents a further contact of magnesium with water, so that the reaction is stopped and therefore the generation of hydrogen is also stopped.
With respect to this reaction, as disclosed in British Patent No. 579,246, it is known that if magnesium for use in the reaction of the foregoing chemical equation is prepared in the form of a mixture or alloy with such metal as iron, nickel or copper, the reaction velocity in the direction of the right member of the equation is accelerated and the quantity of hydrogen generated is proportionately increased.
However, it is not always easy to prepare magnesium for use in the reaction in the form of a mixture or alloy with, for example, iron, nickel or copper.